The suitability of 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA) as an agent to assess glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in dogs was evaluated. Glomerular filtration rates of 12 healthy dogs were determined on the basis of creatinine and/or inulin clearance. Glomerular filtration rates also were determined in 7 dogs after induction of acute renal failure by administration of amphotericin B. The healthy dogs and the amphotericin B-treated dogs were given 99mTc-DTPA (1 to 2 mCi) IV. The percentage of the 99mTc-DTPA dose in the kidneys (percentage dose) was determined, with background activity subtracted from total activity at 15-s intervals 0 to 6 minutes after 99mTc-DTPA infusion. Linear regression analyses (LRA) were performed to determine whether the percentage dose at various time intervals after injection correlated with GFR calculated on the basis of creatinine and inulin clearance data. One to 3 minutes after 99mTc-DTPA administration appeared to be the best period for analysis of the data. The percentage dose of 99mTc-DTPA (corrected for kidney depth differences) was determined and LRA against GFR were performed. The percentage dose correlated better with inulin clearance (r = 0.94) than with endogenous creatinine clearance (r = 0.83). Only inulin clearance correlations improved with kidney depth correction. The LRA was used to derive an equation that could be used to calculate GFR on the basis of the percentage dose. The equation derived from inulin regression was: GFR (milliliter/minute/kilogram of body weight) = 0.194 (depth-corrected percentage dose)--0.37; the equation derived from the creatinine regression was: GFR (milliliter/minute/kilogram) = 0.171 (depth-corrected percentage dose)-0.15.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)